


Familiar, But Different

by DarkMoonMaiden



Category: Hellboy - All Media Types, The Shape of Water (2017)
Genre: Established Relationship, Fluff, Gen, Mentioned violence, Other, mute character
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-01
Updated: 2018-05-01
Packaged: 2019-04-30 13:41:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,816
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14498214
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DarkMoonMaiden/pseuds/DarkMoonMaiden
Summary: The fish man stopped a few yards away from them, double eyelids blinking rapidly in apparent disbelief. Pressed against her side, Elisa felt more than heard Asset let out a chirping noise of shock, his muscles jolting.The red demon looks between the two of them, ashes falling from his cigar as he let out a startled laugh. “Huh. Whaddaya know.” He turned around and clapped Abe on the shoulder. “Congrats, Blue. Yer not alone anymore.”





	Familiar, But Different

**Author's Note:**

> The timeline for this one is a lil weird, since I wanted to add Liz but I know it doesn't necessarily work with Shape of Water, so I made it pretty vague when talking about the time period. 
> 
> Enjoy!

When they left the bay, neither of them were truly sure where to go.

At first, it was simply the need to escape that drove them along. The police were shining lights into the waters and sending out search boats, determined to find what they assumed to be a dead body being dragged by a deformed creature. Elisa couldn’t swim nearly as fast as Asset, but she tried valiantly to keep up, and he refused to swim more than a few yards ahead of her before returning and urging her along. 

After they were far, far away, the two took some time to refamiliarize with each other. Asset continuously brushed his hands over Elisa’s newly healed gills and the gunshot wound that had nearly ended her life, and she could feel tendrils of pure relief and love in the back of her mind. 

As soon as she’d awoken in the water, the two of them had somehow been linked. No words, but she could feel what he was feeling, and he seemed to be able to feel what she was feeling. As they swam around, she slowly started to teach him more sign language, and he started teaching her the clicks and chirrups of his own language that she suddenly found herself able to replicate, even if it was frustratingly slow progress to teach herself how to talk.

It must have been at least a week of swimming and hiding in small alcoves on beaches or against the shore when they met a BPRD agent, and it was a surprise for all three of them.

The wide-eyed woman had stared at them for a long time, gun raised and pointed at them. None of them moved, but Elisa could feel The Asset’s gills bristling agitation as he readied to fight.

After what felt like ages, it became apparent that none of them were going to attack first. The woman cleared her throat and hesitantly lowered her gun.

“H...hello,” the woman said. She held up her free hand and waved her fingers. “Uh, do you speak English?”

Elisa glanced at Asset hesitantly. She gripped his shoulder tightly, trying to ground both of them and stop him from lashing out. She didn’t trust this woman, but she hadn’t attacked them yet, and the last thing they needed was another mysterious death in the news for Occam to use to track them down.

The agent heaved a sigh when nothing was said. “I’m with the BPRD, do you know who that is?”

No response, but the name sent warning bells ringing through Elisa's mind.

“We, uh, we’re in charge of supernatural and paranormal events,” she explained, running her hand nervously through her hair.  “There’s been kelpie attacks in the area, but...whatever you guys are, you’re definitely not...kelpies.” 

Elisa pushed herself closer into Asset’s side, baring her teeth that had started to sharpen ever since she’d escaped from the bay. While her mind was stuck on  _ kelpies _ \--did they exist? Really? She shouldn’t be as surprised as she was, considering Asset (and now, herself)--but more importantly, she didn’t like the idea that they might be blamed for any deaths. ‘Not kelpies’ didn’t equate being innocent.

The woman--the BPRD agent--nervously glanced around before pulling out a radio from her belt.

“Uh, listen, just...stay here for a bit, okay? We have a higher-up coming--fuck, do you even know what I’m saying? Do you speak English?”

Elisa glared daggers at her. Asset didn’t understand what she was saying, but he was in tune to Elisa’s obvious displeasure, and a low growl was trickling up his throat. The agent hurriedly stepped out of the cave, frantically talking into a walkie-talkie and cursing when a wave crashed against the rocks, the spray drenching her and soaking into The Asset and Elisa's skin.

When the woman was out of sight, the adrenaline came pouring through her system. Elisa shared a worried glance with the amphibious man, but they didn't have long to discuss the situation. Moments later, a man walked in, wearing a black suit and seemingly in charge, followed by a different woman. His eyes lingered on Asset, but it luckily didn’t hold any of the hungry eagerness that Strickland and the scientists had had when looking at the amphibious man. The woman looked mildly curious, but kept her face a smooth mask.

He gave a friendly smile, stopping a few yards away from them. “Good afternoon,” he said cheerily. “I'm Agent Buckley, and I'm in charge of this mission. How’s everyone doin’ today?”

Elisa huffed in irritation, and decided to actually try to communicate with them instead of glaring at them until they left. It had been wishful thinking on her part that they would be able to slip by when the first agent left, or that they would care more about the other sea creatures in the area. She pulled her arm free from Asset, who made a concerned noise.

“ _ We just want to leave _ ,” Elisa signed with brisk motions.

Agent Buckley's smile became more forced, eyes widening in slight panic. She could practically see the gears churning in his head.

The female agent next to him sighed in exasperation and stepped forward. “I think you’re using sign language, correct?"

Elisa nodded.

“I’ll have an ASL interpreter brought in,” she said, pulling her walkie-talkie out. “And...I’ll call in Abe,” she added, eyes sliding to Asset before she left the cave.

“So, uh, you understand what I’m saying?” the lead agent said. Elisa nodded again. “Well, this’ll make everything a lot easier. You wouldn’t believe the hoops we have to jump through sometimes--figuring out how to speak a language from a four hundred year old book isn’t as easy as it sounds.” He laughs, but no one else did at his poor attempt to lighten the situation. 

They all stood in tense silence, making uneasy eye contact before hurriedly looking away. Every so often, another wave would splash against the rocks and kept Asset and Elisa hydrated enough. It wasn't comfortable for either of them, but it wasn't unbearable yet.

After what felt like eternity, there were loud voices and footsteps, drawing Asset and Elisa’s attention to the mouth of the cave. 

“Oh, thank God,” Agent Buckley said in relief. “They’re here.”

Elisa’s heartbeat sped up, and her partner moved so he was in front of her, one of his webbed hands protectively wrapped around her forearm.

The first man definitely took her by surprise. He towered over the other agents, with biceps that were bigger than Elisa’s head, and deep, red skin. It seemed like he might have had horns at one point, but he’d sawed them off so only the bases remained. A cigar was hanging out of his mouth, and he had a jacket emblazoned with the BPRD logo.

Elisa’s jaw dropped as the second man walked in, his motions a bit stinted, as if he wasn’t fully used to walking on land. There was some sort of apparatus around his neck, with plastic bits that allowed the viewer to look instead. His entire appearance was fishlike, and she felt a similar rush of shock run through her body that she’d felt when she’d seen Asset for the first time.

The fish man stopped a few yards away from them, double eyelids blinking rapidly in apparent disbelief. Pressed against her side, Elisa felt more than heard Asset let out a chirping noise of shock, his muscles jolting.

The red demon looks between the two of them, ashes falling from his cigar as he let out a startled laugh. “Huh. Whaddaya know.” He turned around and clapped Abe on the shoulder. “Congrats, Blue. Yer not alone anymore.”

***

Watching them was fascinated as they talked back and forth, seemingly oblivious to everyone else around them. The red man rolled his eyes, muttering something about a false alarm and needing to hunt the real kelpies.

The other amphibious man turned to her and started making clicking noises, flourishing into a bow. Elisa moved closer to Asset, face flushing in embarrassment as he spoke for her, no doubt explaining the situation.

After a few moments, Abe Sapien clapped excitedly, making everyone in the room jump.

“How  _ fascinating _ !” he exclaimed. “Why, I’ve only read a few cases such as yours, Miss Esposito, but only with other species. It’s extremely common with selkies...well, for obvious reasons. But there has never been mention for our kind. Which isn’t necessarily saying much, considering that our libraries are quite lacking in that subject. Up until this point, you see, we had only come across one person of our species--me. Your presence is certainly a delight--”

“Can it, Blue,” Hellboy broke in, taking a puff from his cigar. “I think you’re scarin’ ‘em.”

“O-oh! Of course, please forgive me.” He backed up sheepishly. “Erm...you’ll have to excuse my behavior. This is just…” He held his hands out, gesturing to the two of them. “This is just amazing. More than I’d ever thought possible.”

There was a moment of silence as the two men stared at each other, something resembling a smile crossing the other’s face.

“ _ What’s your name _ ?” a woman that Elisa hadn’t noticed signed to her. Elisa was quick to sign back her name.

“Her name’s Elisa Esposito,” she explained.

“Oh! Er, I’m Abe, and this is Hellboy,” he said hurriedly, bowing slightly as he pointed to himself and then the red man.

After the introductions, Abe invited them back to their headquarters. He explained that it was too dangerous for Asset and Elisa to be on these beaches, which had apparently been claimed by a clan of kelpies, and the BPRD wanted to help relocate them to their home.

It was their best chance to getting to the Amazons. They had no choice but to agree and allow themselves to be led out of the cave.

***

Elisa didn’t know much about the BPRD.

She’d heard whispers about them while she worked as a maid, but it was always spoken of disdainfully by the scientists, like it was some sort of shame to their ‘cause.’ She had no idea what their ‘cause’ was, but if it involved vivisecting innocent and confused creatures they had kidnapped from their homes, she despised them. But it sounded more like they were in charge of containing paranormal events, rather than seeking them out.

Now, from her personal experiences, she didn't hate them as much as she hated Occam. Professor Bruttenholm was a kind and intelligent man, and greeted them personally when they arrived. He gave them a room to stay in, and provided Asset with a similar breathing apparatus that Abe wore, allowing him to freely explore the compound. He explained the BPRD in depth to her, and took the time to listen to their story with a sympathetic ear. When he heard everything, he invited them to stay until things calmed down in the outside world.

And Abe…he was a mystery to her. He seemed genuine with his kindness, but she couldn’t help but feel alone when he talked in gargles and chirps to her love. They spent hours together, conversing about anything and everything. Elisa's newly healed throat wasn't conducive to practicing their language, so she was having to wait to learn how to talk to Asset in his native tongue, and she was left with only a basic grasp of what they were saying. It left her feeling more frustrated than she wanted to admit.

She knew she didn’t have a right to be angry. From what she’d gathered, both from the professor and Abe Sapien himself, he had never met another being like him, and had been living with the impression that he would spend the rest of his days living alone. And Asset had been alone for years as well, and she felt the way he craved to be around beings like him.

 

Watching the two of them talk, Elisa was broken from her thoughts when Asset let out a wheezing, clicking sound. A laugh. 

She focused more on them, her heart warming at hearing her love happy. 

***

They couldn't stay in limbo forever. Elisa was pulled into Professor Bruttenholm's office almost an entire week after they'd first arrived and was given an offer to stay on as part time agents and consultants for the BPRD.

“It’d do all of you good to stay together,” the professor said, straightening some papers on his desk. “You, especially. You are learning how to be a new species, and need all of the guidance you can get. Plus, your presence and that of your friend has made Abe ecstatic. He’s never met another one of his kind.”

It made Elisa’s heart hurt to hear that. From what she had gathered from her and Asset’s stilted conversations, he hadn’t had much contact with anyone else of his own kind, either. She couldn’t imagine how lonely and frightening it must be to be on his own. The way the amphibious man was so happy he couldn’t hide it at the mere sight of Elisa and Asset, the way he stumbled over his words and tried to impress them was endearing and saddening--how long had he waited for a moment like this? A time where he would meet others like him, be able to converse freely in his native clicks and hums, and not feel like the only person in the world, something  _ she _ had felt for years?

“Not to mention the lack of information available to your species,” the Professor continued, and Elisa realized with much chagrin she'd missed a good part of his speech. “WIth how...amorous you and your companion are, it wouldn’t surprise me if you were to conceive at some point. We have an entire staff of doctors at your disposal who are trained in helping inhuman creatures, so when the time came, there would be no surprises.”

The thought of children had occurred to her, after she met Asset for the first time in her bathroom (and many times afterwards). She couldn’t even begin to imagine what it would be like--how human would they be? Would it be eggs? How  _ many _ would there be? 

While the doctors couldn’t give her answers right away, they would at least be there to give her updates when the time came, and she wouldn’t be left guessing until the last minute.

“You have time to decide, of course,” the professor broke into her thoughts. “You may take as long as you’d like.”

“ _ I’ll have to talk to my love about it…” _

“I simply ask that you consider it, Miss Esposito,” the professor said. His eyes crinkled kindly. “I know this is a lot to take in, and I don’t expect you to make any decisions immediately. You and your friend are welcome to stay as long as you need to. And, if you wish to leave, we can arrange for transportation to the Amazons, as close to where he was originally located as we can get you.”

She couldn’t stop herself from signing. ‘ _Why_?’ 

“The BPRD doesn’t just help humans, Miss Esposito. We work to help any creatures that are in difficult situations, such as the two of you. For, you see, when  _ you  _ are helped, we are inevitably helping protect humans and keeping the secret contained. Everyone benefits from you two being safely home.”

She left quickly after that, mind racing.

***

Asset didn’t feel comfortable enough yet to go to the cafeteria, even if nine out of ten of the workers there didn’t even bat an eye at him, even greeting him in the hallway or confusing him with Abe Sapien. The Professor had offered to have food brought to their rooms, and originally, Elisa was more than happy to take him up on that offer. She had already seen enough underground cafeterias with cold floors and walls to last a lifetime.

But after her talk with him, and seeing the way Asset and Abe were bonding and enjoying each other’s presence, she felt the need to explore and experience the BPRD headquarters. Feel it out. See how similar it was to Occam’s, if it was better, and if it was tolerable enough that she could spend a long amount of time there.

If this was going to be their home, Elisa had to feel comfortable enough to wander around by herself, so while Asset was in a meeting with the professor and Abe, she decided to get lunch alone.

She entered the cafeteria for the second time that day. She had attempted to visit earlier, but had accidentally come at the height of lunch hour, with almost every table packed with agents. She had quickly fled. But now, later in the afternoon, it was emptier, with only a few tables occupied.

Elisa went through the buffet with practiced ease, filling her tray and grabbing more hard-boiled eggs than was strictly polite. No one seemed to care, though, and she was able to sequester herself away in one of the corners with no interactions with people, her back to the wall and at the perfect angle to observe everyone. 

Elisa recognized one of the people who entered. Liz Sherman yawned as she picked up a plate, dressed in her full uniform. Elisa had met her briefly when they’d first arrived and Abe Sapien introduced them to a few of the BPRD agents. It had startled her how Liz had been so open about her and Hellboy’s relationship, kissing him in greeting and hugging him tightly.

Liz met her eyes from across the room. She gave Elisa a tired smile, and started walking towards her. 

“Hey, Miss Esposito,” she said in her scratchy voice. “Mind if I join you?”

Elisa nodded hesitantly. Liz sat down across from her with her permission, and seemed content to eat in silence, spooning soup into her mouth without looking up.

The merwoman stared at her for awhile before swallowing a bite of her sandwich and setting it down. She reached for her pad of paper and the pen that had been given to her, so she could talk with people more easily in the compound. (The pen was textured--not enough to hurt, but enough that it was easier for webbed, wet hands to clasp and write with. The professor explained that regular pens slipped far too easily out of Abe’s hands, making it impossible to write).

Liz saw her starting to write something down, and stopped her with a smile.

“You can sign to me, if you want,” Liz said. “I didn’t talk for a long time when I was a kid, so they taught me ASL.”

Elisa gave her a curious look, but clamped down on the urge to ask her why. Even if she didn’t outright ask, her curiosity must have been obvious, because Liz gave her a pained grin and lifted her hand. Immediately, blue flames started to dance around her fingertips. None of the agents around them glanced up from their lunches.

“I couldn’t control my powers when I was a kid, and ended up having an...accident.” With a flourish of Liz’s fingers, the flames disappeared. “It wasn’t pretty. I was silent for almost two years after it.”

Elisa blinked a few times. She hadn’t been expecting Liz to be so frank about her past, especially to someone who was a virtual stranger.

They continued conversing, but Liz seemed content to eat her food in companionable silence when the talking petered to a halt.

“I know finding home is hard,” Liz finally said. She gave Elisa one of her small, tired smiles. “It’s taken me a lot of tries, but I’m somewhere that accepts me for who I am, and I’m with the love of my life.”

“ _ The...red man _ ?”

“Yeah, my Red,” she laughed, ducking her head shyly. “He’s a sweetheart, I promise.”

_ “I don’t think he likes us much _ .”

“No, he’s just nervous of you two. He knows how happy you’ve made Abe in just three days, and it scares him. None of us like seeing him hurt, or having to trust strangers. We’re a family, y’know?”

She’d definitely picked that up after walking in on them piled into one of the rec rooms, a projector set up and an odd assortment of humans and creatures sprawled about and loudly talking over whatever had been playing.

She couldn’t help but wonder what it would be like to be apart of something like that.

“ _ Agent Sherman, please report to the departure bay. _ ”

“Sorry, but that’s my cue,” Liz said with a heavy sigh, pushing herself up from the table. “Got a mission in New Mexico. It should be fun, getting a little warm weather and sunshine.”

Liz gave her another one of her crooked little smiles. “If you’re gone before I come back, it was nice meeting you,” she offered. “I know I'm not...good talking about these sorts of things, but I hope you and your fishman find your home. But if you’re still here, let’s grab a drink.”

Elisa’s lips parted in surprise as she watched Liz walk out of the cafeteria.

***

Asset came back from the meeting with the professor seemingly vibrating with excitement. Elisa had been in their temporary room, listening to the record player and lazing around the metal tub of water the BPRD had supplied, but she immediately stepped out when he entered the room.

He pressed his forehead against hers, and she let out a shuddering breath, closing her eyes and running her nose along the side of his face. Some of the tension left her body at the familiar feeling of his closeness.

He pulled away enough to sign with his hands. His movements were still unsteady, but they were getting better and better by the day, and it made pride bloom in her chest. She already knew what he was going to sign, but still watched him as he made the careful motions.

‘Stay.’

She looked around the room once again. While the room was cold and utilitarian at the moment, she knew it could be personalized to make it feel like a home. She’d seen glimpses of Hellboy’s chaotic room, filled with collections of vinyls and candy wrappers and at least a dozen cats, and the room that was half-library, half water tank in Abe Sapien’s corner of the compound.

Elisa finally turned back and looked at him.  He was watching her unblinkingly, apprehension rolling off of him in waves.

Elisa smiled at him, and signed a word she hadn’t taught him yet. Asset stared at her in confusion, but after a few repetitions, realization struck him and he was holding her again, making excited trilling noises. She smiled so wide that her cheeks hurt as she wrapped her arms around him tightly.

‘Home.’

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading. Comments/kudos much appreciated! If you wanna chitchat or have any prompts for me, send me a message on tumblr at continuitygains (or p much any other social media platform)


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